Lady Spartans streak ends; playoffs in sight

ORANGE PARK – St. Johns Country Day School’s girls soccer team lost a handful of top-tier players to colleges and the job of continuing the legacy fell on new cleats. That being said, and with two losses (unbeaten 4A-defending champ Montverde and also unbeaten 4A Final Four-Archbishop McCarthy), ending a two year winning streak, the Lady Spartans again will roll into the region 1-1A playoffs with season-ending games with 2A-Bolles (9-2-2, 2A champs), 4A-Oakleaf, 4A-Leon (8-1-2) and 4A-Creekside (5-3-1). Battle testing his girls is never an afterthought for coach Mike Pickett.

For the rest of the county, Fleming Island and Clay have had spurts of great games and can shake their district lineups with Keystone Heights turning around a rough start to shoot for a top three district finish.